Department of Dance

James Hansen

Associate Professor

James Hansen performed for 15 years with both modern and ballet companies in and outside New York City and is an Associate Professor and Undergraduate Program Director in the Department of Dance. He is an internationally accomplished choreographer and teacher who has been commissioned to create dances by several professional dance companies including Cuerpo Escrito Danza in Santiago, Chile, the Pennsylvania Dance Theater, Moving Currents in Tampa, Thread Meddle in Chicago, and Second Wind Dance Company in Norfolk and by numerous universities including Ohio University, University of Washington in Seatle, and Case Western Reserve. He has been produced by several prestigious dance festivals including two summers at Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out, the Toronto Fringe Festival (fFIDA), the International Dance Festival in New York City, The American Dance Guild Festival, Yes Virginia Dance, The Pasadena Dance Festival, DUMBO Dance Festival in Brooklyn, the National ACDFA conference at Washington DC’s Kennedy Center, and for two years at Encuentro Internacional de Danza-Teatro in Chile. His work has received enthusiastic reviews across the United States. Lisa Jo Sagolla of Backstage NY described Pulse as ”full of blood”, “grippingly aggressive”, and “a wonderful example of how much the human body can communicate.“ Leona Baker of Portfolio Weekly in Norfolk, VA described Three Olive Martinis as a “spiritual and tormented duet” that was “gifted and mesmerizing.” Julinda Lewis of The Richmond Times Dispatch described White W(h)oles as “breathtakingly sexy with startling lifts and the violent impact of a tango.” Marty Clear of the St Petersburg Times wrote Ophelia’s Reclamation “delivered lasting impact” and Erika Kinetz of the NY Times described Fade to Snow and Gray as a “thoughtful meditation on group dynamics.” Since founding James Hansen/Assemblage Dance, Hansen has received over $40,000 in grants for his choreography including support form New York State Council for the Arts and the Puffin Foundation.

Hansen teaches Modern technique, composition, repertory, contact improvisation, and seminar courses to both graduate and undergraduates students and regularly creates dances for students to perform in the annual faculty concert DANSCORE.